seasons

We drove past a field last week, near home in Ayrshire...the straw was sitting in round bales ready to go to the barn. It seems no time ago that that crop was a ploughed field with a green haze of new shoots at the end of April.

Now the Equinox has passed and the year is fading away imperceptibly.  Yellow leaves, blocked drains, greenhouse clearing and hedgecutting are the order of the day rather than grass mowing, in the main.

track success!

We've had a successful weekend at the League of Veteran Racing Cyclists' track championships.

I won a silver in the sprint (making the men work hard!!!..the women ride against men two age groups...so ten years...older) and a bronze in the 500m Time Trial.
The Pirate was rather grumpy yesterday....but won a silver in the scratch race ( first over the line after 10 k wins) and is a decidedly happy bunny!!

All that and my team-mate from Dumfries won himself a gold medal today too!

yo-yo-ing..

Back to South Wales again to race!!

This time we started after a training session on Glasgow Velodrome and headed south on the M74....a much quicker direct journey this time and only 9 hours including the stops.  The Pirate took the wheel for two parts of the journey, so we both had turns at seeing the lovely views en route.

Then back again Monday, including collecting unsold pots from one gallery and delivering them to another that needs more stock !

Tuesday starts early with an MRI scan for the Pirate to see exactly where and how big Craig the Lump is.....

The Pirate is feeling well, so we live in hope.

carrying on

The Pirate had his test results...serious but not so serious.  Now we wait for the next tests to pinpoint the size and location of the problem in a couple of weeks then a conference to decide treatment.

And he says not to worry, that is his job!! He is the one that quotes " sharing is caring, caring is sharing"

His instructions have been to race and train as usual....so we've been to the velodrome in Glasgow yesterday. We're training for the League of Veteran Racing Cyclists' track championships..good practice for the World Masters' Track Championships , 5-12 October in Manchester.

Carry on carrying on it is then, carry on loving him to bits.

The weather is definitely Autumnal, so today is the review of all the outdoor and greenhouse plants, to see who comes indoors.

Tomorrow's weather is forecast rain and gales...of course, this is the day that the Tour of Britain cycle race opens with a stage from Peebles to Drumlanrigg Castle......

On a warmer note, Graham Obree has just set the speed record on a recumbent bike somewhere hot in the USA....56.62 mph...hats off to the man!!

followers

My list of followers has disappeared.....its nice to know there are 134 of you, and that I've gained another 3 in the past week.......

So hello, whoever you are, please say hello back!!

championships over, for now....

We've just had a fortnight in South wales, a week to practice, then five days of the European Masters Track Championships.  
No medals, but we rode better than was expected.  I was complimented on my fitness and form...now onto the World's in Manchester, 5-12 October!! 
Because of the low entry numbers,  I was racing in the womens 50 + group, instead of 60 - 64 age group....but I showed well even in that.  Hopefully there will be higher numbers entering the World Championships.   The Pirate was mostly racing against 60+ or 65+ riders....not a lot of hope when you're 74....

Now we can chill out and have fun with Daughter and Family in West Wales for a couple of days before heading home to Scotland.